Curacao Casinos for UK Players
The so-called Curacao-casinos is a type of casinos available for UK Players, but working on another license than the regular UKGC-license. In this particular case we are talking about a license from the country who’s still part of the Netherlands – Curacao. This small country is a big license issuer and are handing out a lot of licenses.
The main benefit with a Curacao license is that is is cheap and the governments of Curacao accept that the license holder is promoting their casino basically anywhere – even in the UK, even though it actually is against UK laws.
For you as a player, playing at a Curacao-licensed casino is however totally legal. The casinos with this license can choose if they wants to be included in the Gamstop self-blocking scheme, which have resulted in that a lot of the casinos that not are on Gamstop have their license from Curacao. Here are top 5 Curacao Casinos;
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Curacao Casino License – Introduction
A license is a document compulsory for operating an iGaming business. If you have no license as an online casino operator, then your iGaming venture has no lawful ground whatsoever.
Curacao eGaming has been providing online gaming licensing and Information Provider (IP) compliance services to eligible applicants since 1996. The Curacao casino license is one of the most renowned licenses owing to a number of advantages and a comparatively low income tax. Let us take a deeper look on the license, what it means and the pro’s and con’s for UK players playing on a Curacao-licensed casino.
There are many different gaming jurisdictions available to UK players and Curacao is one of them. Curacao-licensed casinos offer players a whole new gaming area to explore, while also offering relatively safe gaming platforms to enjoy. It’s also one of the oldest jurisdictions around.
One of the aspects that makes this licence stand out from the others is that it offers a one licence fits all policy. This means that casinos in Curacao do not have to go through so many different hoops in order to get their licence.
- Curacao is one of the oldest licence jurisdictions
- Easier to get the licence
- One licence fits all gaming businesses
However, while there are positives to these Curacao casinos, there are also downsides. With that in mind, we rate and review all the casinos Curacao has licenced. We have compiled a best of Curacao casinos list so that players can access nothing but the top sites.
How we choose the best Curacao casinos
When it comes to choosing Curacao online casinos, there are a number of factors that we take into consideration when creating our recommended list. We look at a wide range of features in order to create our overall review of the casino site.
One of the main things we check out at Curacao licensed casinos is what type of security is in place. It’s always important to check out whether there is player protection of some kind. There are other features too and these include:
- Game selections
- Bonuses
- Payment options
- Support
- Accessibility and mobile compatability
Curacao Licences
No matter where a UK player is playing, it’s always important to make sure the casino has a licence. Curacao gambling casinos all come under the one licence. There is a Master Licence and this has only been given to four companies, who then give out sub-licences.
These sub-licences can be awarded to any casino and it doesn’t matter if they offer casino games or betting, that one licence covers it all. This does make things a lot easier for the operator, but can mean that some security does go by the wayside.
Licence requirements
In order for an operator to get a Curacao licence, they need to meet specific requirements. Part of the company needs to be based in Curacao. They also need to have a local bank account and have a good business plan in place.
Getting the licence
Once the paperwork is submitted, it’s a quick process to get the licence, usually just 5 weeks. The cost of the licence is also much lower than others in the industry, often around just $30,000, which is why it’s a very popular licence option.
Game selection and software
One of the things that stands out about Curacao casinos is the game selection. Often these casinos will have one of the larger selections around, usually containing thousands of games for players to access, although often this is predominantly made up of slots.
These casinos are able to do this because the licencing is more lax. Many software providers cannot get licenced in other jurisdictions. This means Curacao casinos can utlise the games from vastly more providers giving them more gaming options for players. Games include:
- Slots
- Virtual table games
- Live dealer games
- Lotto and scratchcards
Payment options
As well as having a wealth of games on hand, Curacao casinos also usually offer a large number of different payment options. These options will cover the usual methods such as Visa, Mastercard, bank transfers and various different eWallets and prepaid card options.
However, players can usually get access to cryptocurrencies as well, which offer a more anonymous payment method. Using cryptocurrencies is starting to make its way onto mainstream casinos too, but mainly started out in these types of non-UK licenced sites offering extra anonymity.
Signing up to Curacao casinos
UK players signing up to Curacao casinos will also be able to enjoy a relatively speedy process as well. Many of these sites do not require players to input quite as much personal data as those casinos that are under the UKGC regulations will require.
On top of this, Curacao casinos will also offer no verification access to players too. This means that when it comes to withdrawals, players do not need to supply additional ID documents to prove who they are, meaning the processes move a lot faster.
- Fast signups
- No verification required
Advantages and disadvantages of Curacao casinos
As many readers will know, Curacao does not have the best reputation out there. However, in recent years it has cleaned up its act to offer a much better, securer gaming platform. That being said, there are still some pros and cons for these sites.
Many Curacao sites are legitimate businesses and are not looking to create any problems for their players. This is why we have a large number of top Curacao sites listed and why players should check out our list of trusted sites before signing up.
Pros of Curacao sites
Plus points about Curacao sites include the sheer number of games and big bonuses that are available. The licence allows players from all over the world to join, and due to the laxer gaming laws, players can enjoy a whole ton of fun features.
Cons for Curacao sites
However, not all of these sites allow UK players, and even if they do, they don’t always offer the option to deposit in GBP. On top of this, the licence has a generally bad reputation on the international scale, with some casinos pinged for using pirated games.
Responsible gaming
As we have mentioned, there are problems with player safety throughout the Curacao licence. One area where this comes to the fore is responsible gaming. UK players that are at UKGC licenced sites will have plenty of support for problem gambling, not so in Curacao.
Unlike other jurisdictions, Curacao casinos do not have to have responsible gambling protocols in place. There are often no self-exclusion protocols offered, meaning players can’t block themselves from the site. However, some sites will have helplines available for players to use if they need them.
Where is Curacao on the global map?
Before we delve into how to obtain a Curacao license, let’s see where it falls on the map. Curacao is an island of the Caribbean located off the coastal regions of Venezuela. A tourist attraction paradise, Curacao was formerly known as the Netherlands Antilles.
To date, it is still part of the Netherlands, although it is considered to be an integral state.
Since its inception in 1996, the Curacao eGaming Licensing Authority has issued licenses to over 450 web casinos and continues to preside over activities of online casinos operating in the jurisdiction of Curacao.
How can you obtain a Curacao casino license?
Obtaining a Curacao license is pretty easy. One of the benefits with a Curacao licensed casino is that multiple offerings such as lotteries, casino and poker can be covered by only one license. That said, to obtain a license, you must have a minimum bundle of documents and the license offering falls in an ‘All in One’ package comprised also of consulting and compliance supervision among other services. Curacao eGaming’s guide to Licensing and IP Compliance and documents are availed upon request, and getting a license can take between 2 to 4 weeks.
What are the advantages of obtaining a Curacao license?
One advantage of getting a Curacao casino license is that your income tax stands at 2%, which is low when compared to other jurisdictions. In addition, as aforementioned, one license allows you to open any form of gambling business covering a slew of offerings.
Moreover, the process of obtaining a license only takes a few weeks, as opposed to other jurisdictions that take months. On the flip side, one of the risks with Curacao licensed casinos is that Curacao doesn’t get involved in player and operator disputes, and players can sometimes be swindled.
Where is a Curacao license valid?
It’s important to know that each jurisdiction has drafted it’s distinct rules which regulate operators intending to operate under their respective licenses.
For example, Curacao licensed operators can be prohibited to use local payment options or making any form of advertisements in other jurisdictions.
The Curacao license is allowed in most jurisdictions with notable exceptions being France, Singapore, and the United States. The license itself does not prohibit UK players from playing on their casinos and these casinos are therefor classifies as “non-uk casino sites“. Under Curacao law, online casinos are mandated to obtrude the age limit, with 18 years the minimum age, in tandem with the minimal age specification of the jurisdiction the player resides in.
Curacao worldwide infrastructure services
Curacao Information Provider(IP) compliance offerings target iGaming and eCommerce driven companies who seek the reliability and performance required to make it in today’s competitive market while carrying out their operations operating from their stable jurisdictions.
Curacao offers compliance-ready solutions not limited to dedicated servers, co-location, single-unit Rackspaces, and tailored IT infrastructure solutions. In addition, Curacao eGaming also provides total support, full hardware parts as well as warranty replacement services. Online businesses looking to scale up their eCommerce operations can take advantage of the license provider’s worldwide services and the reliability of its worldwide infrastructure.
Curacao Licensing – Conclusion
The Curacao licensing process is meticulous with all applicants scrutinized to ensure they meet the standards expected. However, the fact that Curacao doesn’t help with disputes between punters and iGaming operators is a caveat the regulator can work on. On the positive side of things, players have numerous trustworthy and respectable online casino operators licensed in Curacao. This jurisdiction is a safe and legal region to set up an online casino business. Nonetheless, online casinos operating under Curacao should build their reputations from scratch to prove their credibility.
Obtaining a Curacao license is a straightforward process if you have all the necessary documents in place. The 2% income tax imposed is ridiculously low compared to other countries. Consequently, this presents an opportunity for you to improve your iGaming business significantly through greater profits as other businesses in other jurisdictions are forced to contend with higher income tax margins. You might ask, can an online casino operate under a Curacao license alongside another jurisdiction’s license like Malta or the UK? Absolutely yes! For players, finding such an online casino should allay any licensing fears.